Rachael's Weekly Fancies

Saturday, 19 December 2009

Well well well...I have managed to leave my Christmas shopping until the last minute (again) but this time it's only because my boyfriend was eager to get a Christmas jumper and I couldn't find one ANYWHERE! So I have spent the last week raiding charity shops and thrift stores for a Norwegian knit-style Chrimbo jumper and been deeply frustrated at my lack of findings. I started in Edinburgh, making my way down the many many charity shops on Nicholson st, going to Armstrong's, Bernardo's Vintage and...well that's about all Edinburgh has it is rubbish. Of course I didn't make it to Morningside charity shops and I have heard they are excellent - especially if you're after tea sets!

So this took me a good chunk of time, made worse by the fact I was looking for other people's presents and therefore got distracted so ended up getting NONE and I was also restricted on time as I was heading to The Filmhouse on the other side of town to see the revamped The Red Shoes.

But then I went through to Glasgow and the first Vintage Shop I went into had THE Christmas jumper! It was brown and white with that lovely Christmas pattern resembling snowflakes and it was Norwegian knit and VERY WARM! There we go. Sorted. And it's because Glasgow has the most amazing concentrated selection of Charity and Thrift stores in the West End. Ever.

Vintage Guru (where I got the Christmas jumper) has to be my all time favourite right now. It's kind of dangerous when I go in there as I tend to always buy something. And the prices, for vintage, are fairly reasonable. You can buy a tweed men's jacket at the same price the charity shop next door is selling one (approx. £20) but here there is far more choice!! Right now they have just got in a selection of amazing 1920s hats; unfortunately some of them are made for 1920s heads and are TINY.

I also love Starry Starry Night for the location alone.

Continue down the alley and you have Glorious (formerly known as Glory Hole and you can see why that was changed...) Start walking up Great Western Road and you get to Watermelon: the original West End vintage shop! The there is Retro (makes sense) and the new NEW Glasgow Vintage Co. which I have yet to visit and I can't wait.

And they aren't even including all of the charity shops! But if you've done all of those and are still somehow sane and have money in your pocket then head over to Merchant City to the daddy of Vintage Mr Ben's.

I'd be surprised if you could control your cash after that vintage dash! Christmas jumper or no Christmas jumper...

Monday, 14 December 2009

The sooner it gets to Christmas the more here there and everywhere I am. I bought THE most amazing fringed jacket the other day when late night shopping/ sipping mulled wine, but have not yet photographed it so will not post it up yet.

I have just been up to Tharna outside Nairn to visit my granddad before Christmas. It was FREEZING and absolutely beautiful. Here are some pictures to make up for my short post.

Wednesday, 9 December 2009

I saw Regina Spektor the other day at the O2 Academy. She was absolutely wonderful. I must confess I was a tad disappointed...if I'm going to be nit picky then I would say I was expecting her to be a bit more talkative. Although her performance was wonderful and she was very sweet there was nothing personal about the gig. She didn't address Glasgow or the audience in a way that felt she was playing especially for us, which I really like in a performer. The only part of the gig that felt unique was when a fan threw a t shirt on stage and it hit her in the face.

Only Glasgow.

Still, it was very enjoyable and I got the opportunity to listen to some of my favourite songs of hers. 'Us', 'Samson', 'Sailor Song' and 'Poor Little Rich Boy' to name a few. She also spoke/sang a peculiar (and very cute) poem about boys and the colour of their eyes and played lots of tracks from her new album.

My favourite is definitely 'The Caluclation' and 'Eet', but they really stood out as catchy pop tunes. Once I listen to the album more I think the slower ones will maybe get my attention. It always takes a good few listens before I get into an album properly

Wednesday, 2 December 2009

I have just got back from a trip down to London. I love it. I'm still not entirely sure if I could live there, but boy do I love to visit.

I saw friends and family. I went to see A Serious Man at the Curzon Soho; a film described by one critic as written by Woody Allen and directed by David Lynch...not far off to be honest! I went to see Inherit the Wind at the Old Vic. It was absolutely excellent and both Kevin Spacey and David Troughton were brilliant. I wasn't particularly keen on the man who played the journalist, he had a phoney "newsman" accent, but apart from that it was incredibly powerful, standing ovations all round. And to finish off that particular treat of an evening we had dinner afterwards at Live Bait which was so delicious! Everything on the menu looked good so I had a hard time deciding, but eventually I went for the "create your own" in which you pick the fish, the sauce, and the side. They burnt my salmon so I had to wait for them to cook it again (they wouldn't even produce the original crisp as they informed me they would only serve it if it was perfect). This meant we got free desserts so I can't complain! All very yummy.

Naturally, I did a bit of shopping. As a wide eyed innocent Scottish girl I am drawn into Topshop in Oxford Circus. I try to avoid it. I went to Camden and bought very cool fake ray ban clubmaster frames which are terribly made, but I still can't wait to get lenses in them and see how long they last!

But, despite my Camden outing I couldn't resist and ended up spending far too long in the accessories department (over an hour!) before giving in to my strong urge of rummaging around the basement floor at the various overpriced labels they have on show.

What I took away from that trip (apart from some cheapo glasses and some gorgeous high waisted button up wool swing trousers in the style of Katharine Hepburn or Ginger Rogers)

was that I LOVE tights. I love them. I almost always wear skirts and dresses and it's so great to mix up the patterns on my legs. Especially in winter when you can get those warm woolly cosy tights. Yum.

I got a pair with a tiger crawling down the leg, spots, House of Holland alphabet tights and black and white leg tights. And I would get more if I could! Tights, tights, tights...they are my new obsession!

About Me

I am a puppeteer and aerialist who produces and performs her own work and that of other people. I'm interested in environmentally sustainable, new and exciting visual theatre that will reach people of all backgrounds from all over the world.